Postponement of Tigers-Indians game pushes back Drew Smyly's return to starting rotation

Drew Smyly saw his first start of the 2014 season pushed back when the game between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians that was set for Tuesday night was postponed.AP File Photo

Drew Smyly will not start against the Cleveland Indians after all.

Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus had inserted Smyly into the rotation Wednesday to face the Indians, but the Tigers will now go with Anibal Sanchez after their game Tuesday was postponed due to inclement weather.

Sanchez had been scheduled to start the game Tuesday.

Smyly is the fifth starter for the Tigers this season but has pitched out of the bullpen thus far in 2014 due to off-days and postponements. He has not made a start in the majors since the 2012 season.

Smyly has allowed two hits and one walk in six scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Tigers this season. He has struck out six.

The Tigers will start Sanchez on Wednesday and Justin Verlander on Thursday. The Tigers have not announced their rotation for the weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels, but it is certain to feature Rick Porcello, Max Scherzer and Drew Smyly in some order.

In fact, that might be the order Ausmus goes with. He has always intended to separate Porcello and Smyly in the rotation, which would in turn break up the top three starters. He could accomplish that by going with Porcello, then Scherzer, then Smyly.

Of course, part of the reason Ausmus originally inserted Smyly into the rotation on Wednesday when he didn't really need a fifth starter was because he wants to get Smyly back in the rotation as soon as possible. Ausmus was asked Sunday if he was starting Smyly against the Indians because they have a predominantly left-handed hitting lineup.

"That doesn't hurt," Ausmus said. "That wasn't the primary reason. It was more to get Smyly back in the rotation. It's been two weeks."

With that in mind, the most likely scenario has Smyly pitching Friday, Scherzer on Saturday and Porcello on Sunday. But the Tigers have not yet announced starting pitchers for those games.